NASA to auction off the only camera it brought back from the moon

All in all NASA sent 14 cameras (each made by legendary Swedish manufacturer Hasselblad) to the moon during Apollo missions. But it only brought one of them back – and now you’ve got the chance to buy it.

The camera up for auction was taken on 1971’s Apollo 15 mission, where astronaut Jim Irwin used it to capture 299 images. While most of NASA’s cameras were left on the lunar surface to save weight during the journey back to Earth, this one made it back through a fault: the film became jammed inside and because it couldn’t be removed, the whole thing needed to be brought home.

It eventually made its way into the hands of an Italian collector, who is now putting it under the hammer at Vienna’s Westlicht gallery. It’s expected to sell for something in the region of €150,000 to €200,000 (£125,000 to £165,000).

Rumour: Sony launching speedy system camera next week

Sony NEX-7

According to (usually trustworthy) site Sony Alpha Rumors, Sony is to announce a successor to its NEX-6 and NEX-7 compact system cameras next Wednesday, 12th February. And the focus (pun intended) with the new model will be on speed: expect a faster autofocus, lag-free electronic viewfinder, faster continuous shooting and most likely a new BIONZ processor. We’ll know if this one checks out soon enough.

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Pebble app store opens its virtual doors

Pebble app store opens its virtual doors

Late last year we reported that the Pebble smartwatch would be getting its own app store – and it’s finally here. The company has updated its iOS app with the new store function, and says that an update to the Android app is coming very soon. The app now acts as a hub for the best Pebble apps – something that was becoming more and more necessary as the number of apps available has already passed 1,000.

Apple celebrate’s 30 years of Macintosh with a glorious iPhone-shot video

The Mac turned 30 on the 24th January, and Apple has commemorated the event with a new video. Shot entirely on that day using iPhones, it’s a typically “inspirational” and glossy bit of marketing. But pretty, and a fine example of what you can do with a smartphone’s video camera if you set your mind to it (and invest in gear to keep it steady).